Wilhelm Tell

Friedrich Schiller

Description

pubOne.info present you this new edition. Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller was born at Marbach, Wurtemberg, Germany, November 10, 1759. His father had served both as surgeon and soldier in the War of the Austrian Succession, and at the time of the poet's birth held an appointment under the Duke of Wurtemberg. Friedrich's education was begun with a view to holy orders, but this idea was given up when he was placed in a military academy established by the Duke. He tried the study of law and then of medicine, but his tastes were literary; and, while holding a position as regimental surgeon, he wrote his revolutionary drama, "The Robbers, " which brought down on him the displeasure of his ducal master. Finding the interference with his personal liberty intolerable, he finally fled from the Duchy, and in various retreats went on with his dramatic work. Later he turned to philosophy and history and through his book on "The Revolt of the Netherlands" he was appointed professor extraordinarius at Jena, in 1789. His "History of the Thirty Years' War" appeared in 1790-93, and in 1794 began his intimate relation with Goethe, beside whom he lived in Weimar from 1799 till his death in 1805

Informations

• Publié par: Pub One Info
• Date de parution: 06 novembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9782819943235
• Langue: English

Extrait

INTRODUCTORY NOTE
Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller was born atMarbach, Wurtemberg, Germany, November 10, 1759. His father hadserved both as surgeon and soldier in the War of the AustrianSuccession, and at the time of the poet's birth held an appointmentunder the Duke of Wurtemberg. Friedrich's education was begun witha view to holy orders, but this idea was given up when he wasplaced in a military academy established by the Duke. He tried thestudy of law and then of medicine, but his tastes were literary;and, while holding a position as regimental surgeon, he wrote hisrevolutionary drama, “The Robbers, ” which brought down on him thedispleasure of his ducal master. Finding the interference with hispersonal liberty intolerable, he finally fled from the Duchy, andin various retreats went on with his dramatic work. Later he turnedto philosophy and history and through his book on “The Revolt ofthe Netherlands” he was appointed professor extraordinarius atJena, in 1789. His “History of the Thirty Years' War” appeared in1790-93, and in 1794 began his intimate relation with Goethe,beside whom he lived in Weimar from 1799 till his death in 1805.His lyrical poems were produced throughout his career, but his lastperiod was most prolific both in these and in dramatic composition,and includes such great works as his “Wallenstein, ” “Marie Stuart,” “The Maid of Orleans, ” “The Bride of Messina, ” and “WilliamTell” (1804). His life was a continual struggle against ill-healthand unfavorable circumstances; but he maintained to the end thespirit of independence and love of liberty which are thecharacteristic mark of his writings.
This enthusiasm for freedom is well illustrated in“William Tell, ” the most widely popular of his plays. Based upon aworld-wide legend which became localized in Switzerland in thefifteenth century and was incorporated into the history of thestruggle of the Forest Cantons for deliverance from Austriandomination, it unites with the theme of liberty that of the beautyof life in primitive natural conditions, and both in its likenessesand differences illustrates Schiller's attitude toward theprinciples of the French Revolution.
WILHELM TELL
by Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
HERMANN GESSLER, governor of Schwytz, and Uri.
WERNER, Baron of Attinghausen, free noble ofSwitzerland.
ULRICH VON RUDENZ, his Nephew.
People of Schwytz:
WERNER STAUFFACHER.
CONRAD HUNN.
HANS AUF DER MAUER.
JORG IM HOFE.
ULRICH DER SCHMIDT.
JOST VON WEILER.
ITEL REDING.
People of Uri:
WALTER FURST.
WILHELM TELL.
ROSSELMANN, the Priest.
PETERMANN, Sacristan.
KUONI, Herdsman.
WERNI, Huntsman.
RUODI, Fisherman.
People of Unterwald:
ARNOLD OF MELCHTHAL.
CONRAD BAUMGARTEN.
MEYER VON SARNEN.
STRUTH VON WINKELRIED.
KLAUS VON DER FLUE.
BURKHART AM BUHEL.
ARNOLD VON SEWA.
PFEIFFER of Lucerne.
KUNZ of Gersau.
JENNI, Fisherman's son.
SEPPI, Herdsman's son.
GERTRUDE, Stauffacher's wife.
HEDWIG, wife of Tell, daughter of Furst.
BERTHA of Bruneck, a rich heiress.
ARMGART, peasant woman.
MECHTHILD, peasant woman.
ELSBETH, peasant woman.
HILDEGARD, peasant woman.
WALTER, Tell's son.
WILHELM, Tell's son.
FRIESSHARDT, Soldier.
LEUTHOLD, Soldier.
RUDOLPH DER HARRAS, Gessler's master of thehorse.
JOHANNES PARRICIDA, Duke of Suabia.
STUSSI, Overseer.
The Mayor of Uri.
A Courier.
Master Stonemason, Companions, and Workmen.
Taskmaster.
A Crier.
Monks of the Order of Charity.
Horsemen of Gessler and Landenberg.
Many Peasants; Men and Women from theWaldstetten.
ACT I.
SCENE I.
A high rocky shore of the Lake of Lucerne oppositeSchwytz. The lake makes a bend into the land; a hut stands at ashort distance from the shore; the fisher boy is rowing about inhis boat. Beyond the lake are seen the green meadows, the hamletsand farms of Schwytz, lying in the clear sunshine. On the left areobserved the peaks of The Hacken, surrounded with clouds; to theright, and in the remote distance, appear the Glaciers. The Ranzdes Vaches, and the tinkling of cattle bells, continue for sometime after the rising of the curtain.
FISHER BOY (sings in his boat) Melody of the Ranzdes Vaches
The smile-dimpled lake woo'd to bathe in itsdeep,
A boy on its green shore had laid him to sleep;
Then heard he a melody
Floating along,
Sweet as the notes
Of an angel's song.
And as thrilling with pleasure he wakes from hisrest,
The waters are rippling over his breast;
And a voice from the deep cries,
"With me thou must go,
I charm the young shepherd,
I lure him below. "
HERDSMAN (on the mountains) Air. — Variation of theRanz des Vaches
Farewell, ye green meadows,
Farewell, sunny shore,
The herdsman must leave you,
The summer is o'er.
We go to the hills, but you'll see us again,
When the cuckoo calls, and the merry birds sing,
When the flowers bloom afresh in glade and inglen,
And the brooks sparkle bright in the sunshine ofSpring.
Farewell, ye green meadows,
Farewell, sunny shore,
The herdsman must leave you,
The summer is o'er.
CHAMOIS HUNTER (appearing on the top of a cliff)Second Variation of
the Ranz des Vaches
On the heights peals the thunder, and trembles thebridge,
The huntsman bounds on by the dizzying ridge.
Undaunted he hies him
O'er ice-covered wild,
Where leaf never budded,
Nor Spring ever smiled;
And beneath him an ocean of mist, where his eye
No longer the dwellings of man can espy;
Through the parting clouds only
The earth can be seen,
Far down 'neath the vapour
The meadows of green.
[A change comes over the landscape. Arumbling, cracking noise is heard among the mountains. Shadows ofclouds sweep across the scene. Ruodi, the fisherman, comes out ofhis cottage. Werni, the huntsman, descends from the rocks. Kuoni,the shepherd, enters, with a milkpail on his shoulders, followed bySeppi, his assistant. ]
RUODI.
Come, Jenni, bustle; get the boat on shore.
The grizzly Vale-King [*] comes, theGlaciers moan,
The Mytenstein [+] is drawing on hishood,
And from the Stormcleft chilly blows the wind;
The storm will burst before we know what's what.
[*] The German is, Thalvogt, Ruler ofthe Valley— the name given figuratively to a dense grey mist whichthe south wind sweeps into the valleys from the mountain tops. Itis well known as the precursor of stormy weather.
[+] A steep rock, standing on thenorth of Rutli, and nearly opposite
to Brumen.
KUONI.
'Twill rain ere long; my sheep browse eagerly,
And Watcher there is scraping up the earth.
WERNI.
The fish are leaping, and the water-hen
Keeps diving up and down. A storm is brewing.
KUONI (to his boy).
Look, Seppi, if the beasts be all in sight.
SEPPI.
There goes brown Liesel, I can hear her bells.
KUONI.
Then all are safe; she ever ranges farthest.
RUODI.
You've a fine chime of bells there, masterherdsman.
WERNI.
And likely cattle, too. Are they your own?
KUONI.
I'm not so rich. They are the noble lord's
Of Attinghaus, and told off to my care.
RUODI.
How gracefully yon heifer bears her ribbon!
KUONI.
Ay, well she knows she's leader of the herd,
And, take it from her, she'd refuse to feed.
RUODI.
You're joking now. A beast devoid of reason—
WERNI.
Easily said. But beasts have reason, too, —
And that we know, we chamois-hunters, well.
They never turn to feed— sagacious creatures!
Till they have placed a sentinel ahead,
Who pricks his ears whenever we approach,
And gives alarm with clear and piercing pipe.
RUODI (to the shepherd).
Are you for home?
KUONI.
The Alp is grazed quite bare.
WERNI.
A safe return, my friend!
KUONI.
The same to you!
Men come not always back from tracks like yours.
RUODI.
But who comes here, running at topmost speed?
WERNI.
I know the man; 'tis Baumgart of Alzellen.
KONRAD BAUMGARTEN (rushing in breathless).
For God's sake, ferryman, your boat!
RUODI.
How now? Why all this haste?
BAUM.
Cast off! My life's at stake!
Set me across!
KUONI.
Why, what's the matter, friend?
WERNI.
Who are pursuing you? First tell us that.
BAUM. (to the fisherman).
Quick, quick, man, quick! they're close upon myheels!
It is the Viceroy's men are after me;
If they should overtake me, I am lost.
RUODI.
Why are the troopers in pursuit of you?
BAUM.
First make me safe and then I'll tell you all.
WERNI.
There's blood upon your garments— how is this?
BAUM.
The Imperial Seneschal, who dwelt at Rossberg—
KUONI.
How! What! The Wolfshot? [*] Is it hepursues you?
[*] In German, Wolfenschiessen— ayoung man of noble family, and a
native of Unterwalden, who attached himself to theHouse of
Austria, and was appointed Burvogt, or Seneschal, ofthe Castle of
Rossberg. He was killed by Baumgarten in the manner,and for the
cause, mentioned in the text.
BAUM.
He'll ne'er hurt man again; I've settled him.
ALL (starting back).
Now, God forgive you, what is this you've done!
BAUM.
What every free man in my place had done.
Mine own good household right I have enforced
'Gainst him that would have wrong'd my wife— myhonour.
KUONI.
How? Wronged you in your honour, did he so?
BAUM.
That he did not fulfil his foul desire,
Is due to God, and to my trusty axe.
WERNI.
And you have cleft his skull then with your axe?
KUONI.
O, tell us all! You've time enough, and more,
While he is getting out the boat there from thebeach.
BAUM.
When I was in the forest felling timber,
My wife came running out in mortal fear.
“The Seneschal, ” she said, "was in my house,
Had ordered her to get a bath prepared,
And thereupon had ta'en unseemly freedoms,
From which she rid herself, and flew to me. "
Arm'd as I was, I sought him, and my axe
Has given his bath a bloody benison.
WERNI.
And you did well; no man can blame the deed.
KUONI.
The tyrant! Now he has his